Sign



Aug. 16, 1932. E. B. HURFORD 1,872,145

' SIGN Filed April 21, 1931 avwento'c E. B. Haw/0rd Patented Aug. 16, 1932 EBENEZER B. HURFORD, OF YORK, N.

SIGN

Application filed April 21,

This invention relates to improvements in signs, and more particularly'to a changeable type of sign.

Among the principal objects which the in vention has in view are: To provide a device whereby each tape may be operated independently; to secure simplicity ofconstruction and operation; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the followingdesoripti n. p

In the drawing: Figure l is a front view of my improved device and with the cover partially cutaway to view the operating mechanism;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view shown as taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view shown as taken on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the movable gears. A

In the specification:

"In the specific embodiment of the invention illustratedin said drawing, the reference numeral 10 indicates the enclosure of the device in general having side walls 11, and walls 12 and a cover '13. Said device preferably may be constructed as rectangular in shape and of a suflicient depth and width to house or enclose the operating parts. The invention contemplates means to adjust or change the titles or names and utilizes the several parts which will hereinafter be described and form essential features of the present disclosure. Said device likewise has for a purpose the establishment of changeable signs for use in advertising current plays,pic tures and so forth and may be placed over the marquees of buildings or elsewhere, as found advantageous. At present, much time is consumed in changing titles of pictures and plays, and it is in this respect that the invention has great utility in eliminating the requirement for excessive time in making changes.

i931. Serial No. 531,680. I

In carrying out the invention I have shown ashaft 14 extending the entire length of'the jenclosurelO within the same and adjacent one longitudinal side wall thereof, For convenience of description, thedevice will be considered as standing upright with the greatest length vertical, and with this viewpoint, the shaft 14; likewise assumes an upright positionwith the lower end projecting through the lower end wall of the enclosure. 5

An operating meansmay be provided for the shaft, and as an example a swivel socket 15 is shownbelow the enclosure attached to the shaft. The operator may insert a suitable crank (not shown) in this socket and there- 05 by rotate the shaft when desired.

The enclosure 10 is of any desired height and contains any desired number of means for displaying changeable letters or other units from which the complete sign will be 1 made up. As these several means are duplicates one of the other, a description of asingle means will sufiice for all.

The display means each comprise a pair of reels or spools 16 upon which a ribbon or tape 17 may be wound and unwound. This tape islong enough to contain all of the letters of the alphabet or other units as well as several blanks which it may be desired to use in making up an advertisement or other dis- 0 play. The spools 16 are frictionally engaged by springs 18 so that the tape will be held tight and remain in the position to which it may be moved. Furthermore, as here shown,

.idler rolls 19 are provided parallel to the spools, said idler rolls being in a plane parallel to the cover 13 and adjacent thereto so that a. considerable length of thetape will be held in juxtaposition to the cover and parallel thereto. The cover has windows 20 through I which the letter or other display unit may be seen. In the drawing three sides of the window is shown as boarded by a grooved frame 21 adapted to receive a pane 22 of glass or other transparent or translucent material of any desired color and transparency to accomplish the desired effect.

As here shown the spools 16 are journaled in end plates 23 mounted within the enclosure parallel to the longitudinal side walls. These end plates likewise provide supports in which to journal the idler rolls l9 and upon which to mount the friction tension springs 18. The spools are each fast upon a spool shaft 2% or its equivalent and one end of the shaftl l projects through the end plate 23 toward the main shaft 14. Preferably the spool shafts and the main shaft are all ina common plane with all of the spool shafts parallel and perpendicular to the main shaft. Splined upon the main shaft is a sleeve 25 ate-bee posite ends of which are provided bevel gears 26, 26, here shown as facing away from each 4 other. Between the bevel gears 26, 26, are preferably provided a pair of spaced collars 27, 27, by means of which the-sleeve may be shifted longitudinally upon the shaft. By

way of illustration, the spli-ning of the sleeve upon the shaft is accomplished by a slot 2'?" longitudinally of the sleeve and receiving a pin 28 projecting radially from the shaft. At the end of each spool shaft 24: is'a bevel gear 29 adapted to mesh with one ofthe bevel gears upon sleeve 25. The proportions are such that only one gear 26 on the sleeve can be in mesh at one time. 1

A gear shifting level 30 ishinged to a bracket l carried by'the housing behind the main shaft so that thes-aid'lever may project past the shaft at substantially right angles thereto and protrude at its forward end through aslot 8:1 in the cover;13. This-lever is preferably constructed so that its outer end can be tilted through asmall angle as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2 away from the shaft. Beneath the cover 13 is provided 'a'notched detent32 of such a character that the lever is normally within one of the notches, but may be tilted out of the notch of the collars and moves the sleeve longitudinally of the'shaft. ithree notches for holding the lever, the ex- 1 preferably provide treme notches holding the lever with one or the other gear on the sleeve in mesh'with the corresponding gear of the adjacent spool, and the third notch to hold the lever so that the sleeve and gears will be in neutral position. When it is desired to change any letfor or character showing through one of the windows, the lever is swung to mesh the gear for the proper spool and the main-shaft is then rotated until the letter appears. The lever is then swung back to'neutral position. Another letter may then be adj usted without disturbing the first, and so on until the sign has been changed as desired.

Each letter is preferably illuminated, and for that purpose I have shown the two spools of each pair separated and a suitable illuminating bulb 35 is provided in a position underlying the gap between the spools such that the light therefrom will pass through the portion of tape on which the desired display appears. opaque than another part -so that the letter will be visible by virtue of the light. For instance, the tape may be opaque and the letters may be translucent.

It is to be understood that while I have shown and described the sign of my invensubstitution ofequivalentsare included within the scope .of my invention without attempting to illustratemore of them in the present disclosure. It will the noted in the constructionherein shown that each .unit .is made up with its own pair of spools and itsown side plates, control lever and light bulb, so that repairs and replacements may be madewith respect to anyone of the units without affect ingany of the others.

I claim: 1 V

.1. A device aschazracterized-comprising an enclosure, a series of units within the enclosure, each unit having a tape for exposing written matter in a direction common to the direction of exposure .of-the written matter? of the other tapes and said enclosure having a series of windows all facing in the same direction for simultaneously exposing the written matter of the several tapes, a pair ofspools for eachtape, said spools of the I. p.a1rs being parallel to each other and all of said pairs of spools being parallel, a gear at the end of each spool, av shaft arranged longitudinally of the of uni-ts and transverse to the several spools adjacent the several said gears, and sleeves on said shaft, one

for each unit and having cooperating gears at the opposite ends of each sleeve spaced .a less distance than the spacing, of the respective pairsof gears .of each unit and adapted to be slid to mesh either one with the gear of the spool or disengaged from both said gears, whereby the shaft may be continuously operated and affect only the unit desired to be affected.

2. A device as characterized.comprising-an enclosure, a series of units within the enclosure, each unit having atape for exposing written matter in a direction common to the direction of exposure of the written matter Part of the tape may be more of the other tapes and said enclosure having a series of Windows all facing in the same direction for simultaneously exposing the written matter of the several tapes, a pair of spools for each tape, said spools of the'pairs being parallel to each other and all of said pairs of spools being parallel, a gear at the end of each spool, a shaft arranged longitudinally of the series of units and trans verse to the several spools adjacent the several said gears, and sleeves on said shaft, one for each unit and having cooperating gears at the opposite ends of each sleeve spaced a less distance than the spacing of the respective pairs of gears of each unit and adapted to be slid to mesh either one with the gear of the spool or disengaged from both said gears, whereby the shaft may be continuously operated and affect only the unit desired to be affected, and means for individually and separately operating said sleeves.

EBENEZER B. HURFORD, 

